Replace Worn Clutch Shoe of Hotpoint 9605w Top Loader Washing Machine

If your hotpoint 9605w top loader washing machine agitates OK, pumps OK, but doesn't spin, then the cause might be worn out or broken clutch shoes.
This instructable documents an adaptation of the worn clutch shoes on a circa 25-year-old 9605W to add extra weight. One can buy replacement clutch shoes online for circa £25UK (google 'hotpoint 9605w clutch shoe spares'), but this adaptation project was done during a weekend visit to revive a much loved machine for an elderly relative - no time to wait for delivery of spares. The repair appears to work perfectly, though in the long term (many years later?) the user should listen out for the screeching of metal against metal which would indicate that further wear on the shoes has resulted in the weighted inserts contacting the clutch housing. If this happens it really would be time to stop using the machine until new replacement shoes fitted.

Only repeat these steps if you are sure of what you are doing. Some dangers are:
Possible asbestos in clutch shoe - I have no idea whether these contain dangerous minerals but as far as I know they MIGHT.
Electrical shock e.g. from capacitors even after power disconnected from machine. However the repair does not directly involve fiddling around with anything electrical.

Step 1 - inspection
Check whether symptoms match those described above, by trying a cycle such as rinse. If clutch shoes are worn out, the spin of the body may be entirely absent or may be weak. Note that if lid is open the machine will not spin even if shoes OK. After a rinse cycle the machine should drain and spin, leaving the clothes dry and pushed away from drum's central agitator. If the symptoms match then ensure that drum is drained / pumped out, then unplug machine from wall. The clutch is on the underside of the machine and at the REAR. So tilt the machine safely (it is heavy) forwards to lean it against a wall, and make absolutely sure that it can't fall back against you. Or you may want to tilt it completely onto its front - if so have a mop handy! You now need to get a good view up into the clutch housing shown in fig 3. When new each shoe is symmetrical. If each shoe is approx as worn/asymmetric as that is fig 3 then shoe wear probably IS cause of fault and you can proceed with repair or replacement. While you are at it, oil the wheel arm clips as shown in fig 3.

Step 2 - remove the old shoe unit from clutch housing
WARNING - shoe MAY contain asbestos? Do not damage the shoe unless you have appropriate dust extraction in place.
Get a spanner or socket onto the central nut and unscrew. You should NOT remove shoes from the metal rotor arm.

Step 3 - adapt the old shoe pair
Shoe wear has caused the weight of the shoes to reduce, which reduces the force with which shoes contact the inner housing rim. So we need to either buy a new clutch shoe pair (in which case get spare part and skip to step 4) or add weight to the end of the shoe furthest from the shoe bearing/pivot. This has to be done without affecting the shoes' contact surface, even when some reasonable further wear occurs. This could be done by building up araldite/epoxy on the long flat rectangular inner faces of the shoe pair (the faces that face each other, possibly involving filing to shape (special asbestos warning for this procedure - do not do this if not up to speed on dangers of asbestos). Or as shown in fig 4 & 5 & 6 you could find appropriate size matched pair of bolts, carefully mark (symmetrically) and drill (ASBESTOS ALERT - and try not to break through to contact surface) one slightly undersized pilot hole in flat rectangular face of each shoe, and screw the bolt fully in.

Step 4 - replace shoe unit into clutch housing.
fig 6 shows shoes replaced after both shoes adapted with remedial bolt weights.

Then test your work - good luck!

Feedback please if you try this Instructable.

:)  Dom